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13 - India

A Quiet Shift toward Cross-border Policing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

Klaus Brummer
Affiliation:
Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt
Šumit Ganguly
Affiliation:
Stanford University, California
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Summary

The paper explores India’s engagement in transnational repression, a practice where states target political dissidents, activists, and critics beyond their borders. It examines how the Indian government, under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has increasingly leveraged diplomatic, legal, and extrajudicial means to silence opposition figures abroad. The study highlights incidents involving Kashmiri separatists, Sikh activists, and other political dissidents facing surveillance, coercion, or direct violence outside India. The chapter discusses diplomatic pressure on host countries, the use of counterterrorism laws, and intelligence operations as key tactics. Additionally, it addresses the geopolitical implications of India’s transnational repression, particularly in its relations with Western democracies that host many of these exiled individuals. The paper argues that while India frames its actions as necessary for national security and counterterrorism, they pose challenges for democratic norms and human rights. Finally, the research calls for greater international scrutiny and legal mechanisms to counter such practices, emphasizing the tension between security interests and fundamental freedoms in the global arena.

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